Conventionally, a casting method, and a casting line have been disclosed, casting method and casting line in which a plurality of casting frames are put in place in series along a conveyor path that is formed as a closed circular loop shape (Patent Literature No. 1). In accordance with this one, a mold-making apparatus is put in place at the center of the conveyor path that is formed as a closed circular loop shape. Further, a molten-metal pouring apparatus, and a casting-mold disassembling apparatus are put in place in this order along the conveyor path that is formed as a closed circular loop shape. And, a sand casting mold, which has been made by means of the mold-making apparatus, is conveyed to the side of the molten-metal pouring apparatus along the conveyor path that is formed as a closed circular loop shape; is subjected to molten-metal pouring by means of the molten-metal pouring apparatus; is thereafter conveyed to the side of the casting-mold disassembling apparatus along the conveyor path that is formed as a closed circular loop shape; and is then disassembled by means of the casting-mold disassembling apparatus.
Moreover, a rotary-drum-type sand processing apparatus has been disclosed, rotary-drum-type sand processing apparatus which is provided with: a casting-mold disassembling device that possesses a rotary drum being put in place as a horizontal-shaft type and being formed as a long circular-cylinder configuration; a carry-in conveyor that is connected to the inlet opening of the rotary drum of the casting-mold disassembling device; and a carry-out conveyor that is connected to the outlet opening of the rotary drum of the casting-mold disassembling device (Patent Literature No. 2). In accordance with this one, in such a state that the sand casting mold, in which cast products are buried, is fitted into the inside of the rotary drum through the inlet opening, the rotary drum rotates. And, the cast products are rolled inside the rotary drum by means of rotation, and thereby the separation of the casting sand from the cast products is facilitated. Since the inlet opening is formed at an opposite end of the rotary drum, and since the outlet opening is formed at another end of the rotary drum, the cast products roll over the entire length of the rotary drum, and thereby the separation of the casting sand from the cast products is facilitated by means of rolling.
Furthermore, a sand collecting apparatus has been disclosed, sand collecting apparatus which has a casting-mold disassembling device that possesses a box-shaped decompressing container (Patent Literature No. 3). In accordance with this one, the entirety of the sand casting mold, which possesses cast products being formed by pouring molten metal, is accommodated inside the box-shaped decompressing container of the casting-mold disassembling device. In such a state, the inside of the decompressing container is decompressed by means of vacuum source, such as a vacuum pump, and thereby moisture in the moisture-condensed layer of the sand casting mold is vaporized, moisture-condensed layer which is present in the vicinity of the cast products. And, the sand casting mold is collapsed by utilizing pressure that is generated by means of boiling, and thereby the separation of the casting sand from the cast products is facilitated.    Patent Literature No. 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (KOKAI) Gazette No. 2003-326, 358;    Patent Literature No. 2: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (KOKAI) Gazette No. 9-225, 624; and    Patent Literature No. 3: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (KOKAI) Gazette No. 2001-300, 718
In accordance with the aforementioned conventional art, the downsizing of casting-mold disassembling device (mold-disassembling unit) for disassembling sand casting mold, and the shortening of disassembling time have been requested. However, they have not necessarily been sufficient.
In Patent Literature No. 1, since the conveyor route is formed as a circular loop shape, dead spaces are likely to arise in the space that is surrounded by the circular loop, and thereby the downsizing has not necessarily been sufficient. Further, a long time has been necessary for the time for disassembling the sand casting mold.
In Patent Literature No. 2, since the rotary drum, which is formed as a long cylindrical configuration and which is put in place as a horizontal-shaft type, is used, the longer the length of the rotary drum in the axially longitudinal direction the longer the distance for rolling the cast products is secured inside the rotary drum, and thereby it is possible to separate the casting sand from the cast products. Therefore, the length of the rotary drum has tended to become longer in the axially longitudinal direction, and accordingly the casting-mold disassembling device has tended to jumbolize. Further, a longer time has been necessary for the time for disassembling the sand casting mold.
Moreover, in Patent Literature No. 3, since the box-shaped decompressing container that surrounds the entirety of the sand casting mold from the outside, and the vacuum source, such as a vacuum pump that is connected to the decompressing container, are used, the casting-mold disassembling device has tended to jumbolize. Furthermore, a longer time has been necessary for obtaining vacuum, and thereby a much longer time has been necessary for the time for disassembling the sand casting mold.
In addition, in accordance with aforementioned Patent Literature Nos. 1-3, since a longer time has been necessary for the disassembling time, the temperature of the cast products immediately after the disassembly has been cooled to low temperature considerably. Hence, they are not one which can execute controlled cooling that accelerates the cooling rate of the cast products after the disassembly.